Seniors still on the ball
TENNIS really is a sport for life and, for some of Gold Coast’s senior players, tennis is a way of life.
We have Australian champions, Australian representatives, team captains, tournament winners, Newcombe Award winners, top 10 world ranked players, No.1 world ranked players, undefeated players – they all belong on the Gold Coast.
Sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation, the seniors circuit is a global tour designed for players over 35 still keen to play.
Capturing talent worldwide, the circuit sees more than 26,000 players competing in more than 70 nations across 10 different age divisions, ranging from the 35+ group to 85+.
Let’s start with Kerryn Cyprien, who has eight singles titles, five doubles and four mixed doubles crowns.
She is ranked No.5 in the world in the women’s 50+ division in both singles and doubles and No.1 in mixed doubles.
But it doesn’t stop there; Cyprien has also represented Australia in the World Team Championships since 2015, captaining the side three times.
Also calling the Gold Coast home are husband and wife duo Ding and Steven Eckstein.
Ding finished 2018 as the world over-40s No.3 ranked singles player and No. 2 mixed doubles player.
Steven reached career-high No.9 in the over-40s singles, No.3 in doubles and No.1 in mixed doubles. The pair will compete in Europe in a number of competitions in July.
And then there is Peter Froelich, who won Tennis Australia’s Newcombe Award for most outstanding 35+ senior after taking out the same award for Queensland.
Froelich has reached 21 Australian representative teams, winning nine world singles titles and countless Australian titles and No.1 rankings in both singles and doubles.
Other prominent Gold Coast seniors include Simona Fairclough, Ulricke DeutschWatson, Lyn Mortimer, Mike Ford, Terrance McLellan, Jill Taylor, Nola Collins, Joy Ritger, Claude Wenzel, Adrian Alle and Barry Headland.
Indeed, tennis is a way of life for some seniors here on the Gold Coast.